Best compatible desktop search software?

[Onlooker]

I'm often frustrated by Vista's search capabilities.
What are the best alternatives?

Thanks

 

[Man-wai Chang ToDie]

I'm often frustrated by Vista's search capabilities. What are the best
alternatives?

Google desktop?

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[Andrew McLaren]

I'm often frustrated by Vista's search capabilities. What are the best
alternatives?

I desparately want Windows' built-in Search facility to work well. But at
present, it is too unreliable to, uh .. rely on. Plus it doesn't search
network shares, only local drives; so for anyone who keeps docs on a file
server it is functionally useless (even WDS 3.01 on XP could search shares).

I am using Google Desktop Search and it works perfectly for me. If/when
Windows Desktop Search becomes usable again, I will switch back, but for
now, it's Google.

Remember to disable the Windows Search service, while you are using a 3rd
party Search solution. Otherwise you'll have 2 search engines running side
by side! In the Services MMC, Set Windows Search to "Disabled", not just
"Manual"; otherwise it is likely to start of its own accord.

Once Windows Search can search network shares, and can reliably find
documents on local disks, I will start using it again. It has teh potential
to be a great search solution.

 

[MICHAEL]

* Andrew McLaren:

I desparately want Windows' built-in Search facility to work well. But at
present, it is too unreliable to, uh .. rely on. Plus it doesn't search
network shares, only local drives; so for anyone who keeps docs on a file
server it is functionally useless (even WDS 3.01 on XP could search shares).

I am using Google Desktop Search and it works perfectly for me. If/when
Windows Desktop Search becomes usable again, I will switch back, but for
now, it's Google.

Remember to disable the Windows Search service, while you are using a 3rd
party Search solution. Otherwise you'll have 2 search engines running side
by side! In the Services MMC, Set Windows Search to "Disabled", not just
"Manual"; otherwise it is likely to start of its own accord.

Once Windows Search can search network shares, and can reliably find
documents on local disks, I will start using it again. It has teh potential
to be a great search solution.

Andrew,

I thought after mapping a network drive, Vista's search could index it.

I just looked in my Indexing Options and my network drives are
listed as options.


-Michael

 

[MICHAEL]

* MICHAEL:

* Andrew McLaren:

Andrew,

I thought after mapping a network drive, Vista's search could index it.

I just looked in my Indexing Options and my network drives are
listed as options.

Also, in my "Advanced Options", there is a "Add UNC Location".

Hmm... I wonder if I did something way back to add that. I've been
using Vista for so long, I don't remember if that's there by default.


-Michael

 

[MICHAEL]

* MICHAEL:

* MICHAEL:

Also, in my "Advanced Options", there is a "Add UNC Location".

Hmm... I wonder if I did something way back to add that. I've been using Vista for so long,
I don't remember if that's there by default.

Okay- I see now. I reckon I used the below download at some point
on my machines.

http://gallery.live.com/liveItemDetail.aspx?li=a6e16121-76eb-4f3d-a392-46e2d948f2fa&l=3

The Windows Desktop Search add-in for Files on Microsoft Networks is a protocol handler that
indexes shared network directories and shared FAT drives. This add-in uses Windows Desktop
Search 3.0 and later versions of Windows Desktop Search. This add-in lets you easily locate,
and search the contents of, these shared network locations.


-Michael

 

[notaguru]

What is causing your frustrations with Vista search? Perhaps we can
help resolve your problem?

Untill Vista SP1 is released, I wouldn't recommend using a third-party
search tool, such as Google Search. Third-Party search tools do not
disable the Vista Search engine when they are installed, and you'll
experience performance degradation as a result of two search programs
competing for system resources. This performance penalty can in some
cases be rather severe.

Vista Service Pack 1, due in the first half of 2008, will allow you to
turn off Vista Search yourself, allowing you to use third-party tools.

But again, I must ask what your problem is regarding Vista Search?
Perhaps we can help. Vista Search is amoung my Top 10 Favourite Vista
Features, and I've found it to be better than Google Search or Nero
Scout.

Well, in this thread is a possible answer; a patch to
permit searching of network files. However, I also
dislike the visual presentation.

Therefore, I've disabled Vista Search (Services.msc) and
installed Copernic. We'll see.

Thanks!

 

[John Hanley]

I find Vista's search to be really helpful for me. It was worth taking some
time to learn its features and options. Here are some useful web sites
concerning Vista's search:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/932989
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/desktopsearch/addresources/advanced.mspx
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/73106209-6df0-432a-8cb7-df5d8ce02ec61033.mspx
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/69581-indexing-options.html?ltr=I

 

[Guest]

Another vote for Copernic. I've tried Google, WDS 3.01 and always fine
myself coming back to Copernic. It just works.

 

[Kevin Weaver]

Your kidding right ? Don't install a 3rd party search ? You can turn off the
POS Search in vista then Install anything you want.

 

[Andrew McLaren]

Okay- I see now. I reckon I used the below download at some point
on my machines.
http://gallery.live.com/liveItemDetail.aspx?li=a6e16121-76eb-4f3d-a392-46e2d948f2fa&l=3

Thanks Michael, I'd forgotten about that add-on. I'm pretty sure I tried it
at some stage, because its been out for a while; but I think I had some
problem with it ... maybe it didn't like 64-bit Vista; something like that.
Anyway, it didn't convince me to stay with Windows Search.

I realise I'm only giving anecdotal evidence here, which is basically a
sample size of 1! . Usually I try to avoid that. But ...

On my laptop, with a single hard disk, single volume, single file tree, and
not a large number of documents, Windows Search is great at finding local
docs. I'd love to get that nice experience on my desktop machine too. But
here on the desktop, I have three hard disks, tens of thousands of files to
index, many links, junction points and mapped drives to multiple servers,
lots of Visual Studio projects and source code, a large slab of files under
the SUA Posix file system, etc. All 100% standard Microsoft and Windows
facilities, no weird third party stuff ... but it's unusual enough, that it
causes Windows Search to have a hernia. At least, something is causing
Search to fail miserably on my desktop machine. Leaving aside the Network
shares, Vista Search routinely failed to find files even on my local C:
drive - even on my Desktop!

I'm sure that Search in Vista will eventually reach the good level of
function and usability that was in WDS 3.01 on XP. It's just not there yet,
not today. Meanwhile (and playing religious wars is not my bag, but ...)
Google Desktop works great on my desktop, it finds all the data I'm looking
for locally and on the network; without any special tweaks or add-ons.

Cheers,

 

[MICHAEL]

* Andrew McLaren:

Thanks Michael, I'd forgotten about that add-on. I'm pretty sure I tried it
at some stage, because its been out for a while; but I think I had some
problem with it ... maybe it didn't like 64-bit Vista; something like that.
Anyway, it didn't convince me to stay with Windows Search.

I realise I'm only giving anecdotal evidence here, which is basically a
sample size of 1! . Usually I try to avoid that. But ...

On my laptop, with a single hard disk, single volume, single file tree, and
not a large number of documents, Windows Search is great at finding local
docs. I'd love to get that nice experience on my desktop machine too. But
here on the desktop, I have three hard disks, tens of thousands of files to
index, many links, junction points and mapped drives to multiple servers,
lots of Visual Studio projects and source code, a large slab of files under
the SUA Posix file system, etc. All 100% standard Microsoft and Windows
facilities, no weird third party stuff ... but it's unusual enough, that it
causes Windows Search to have a hernia. At least, something is causing
Search to fail miserably on my desktop machine. Leaving aside the Network
shares, Vista Search routinely failed to find files even on my local C:
drive - even on my Desktop!

I'm sure that Search in Vista will eventually reach the good level of
function and usability that was in WDS 3.01 on XP. It's just not there yet,
not today. Meanwhile (and playing religious wars is not my bag, but ...)
Google Desktop works great on my desktop, it finds all the data I'm looking
for locally and on the network; without any special tweaks or add-ons.

Andrew, I don't disagree with Vista's Search not matching the same
capabilities as WDS on WinXP.... don't understand why it's that way, either.

Well, with Vista SP1, search software like Google Desktop will be allowed
even tighter integration that Vista's built-in Search has now. If improvements
to Vista's Search are not made by SP1, I will more than likely be switching
to Google Desktop, also.

Have you tried Copernic Desktop Search?
http://www.copernic.com/en/products/desktop-search/index.html


Take care,

Michael